73-709: The New Guildford line , presently operated by South Western Railway , is a commuter line between London Waterloo and Guildford . It branches off the South West Main Line at Hampton Court Junction, just south-west of Surbiton . On timetables, trains on this route are advertised as going to Guildford via Cobham . Rush hour services provide two (inbound) morning services and one (outbound) evening service non-stop between Surbiton and Waterloo. Off-peak services run twice per hour (once on Sundays) and are slower, stopping at all intermediate stations except between Surbiton and Wimbledon. A nominally independent company,
146-618: A 20-year maintenance contract. It is located south of St Denys station and is near Southampton Football Club's St Mary's Stadium . Ryde Traincare Depot , alongside Ryde St John's Road on the Isle of Wight serviced the Class 483 units that used to operate on the Island Line. Salisbury depot maintains the Class 158 and Class 159 fleet. Strawberry Hill train maintenance depot in south west London,
219-501: A brief period starting in October 1973, first class service was provided but the total number of seats was much reduced from the former second class only stock, from 772 to 560 seats, and this resulted in much dissatisfaction due to the consequent overcrowding. However, the first-class train stock used consisted of 4VEPs and, owing to a shortage of this stock available for the stopping services between Waterloo and Woking , first-class service
292-519: A cap upon unregulated fares between London and Exeter as a mitigating measure; the CMA chose to accept this concession. By April 2018, concerns had reportedly grown over SWR's performance over previous months; there had been a noted rise in both the number of delayed services and outright cancellations. Due to these concerns, the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling , announced an independent review into
365-630: A compromise. The GKLR agreed to limit its proposal to the Fulham to Surbiton section, to be worked jointly by the GKLR and the LSWR. The LSWR would build its Hampton Court Junction to Guildford line. The GKLR changed its (proposed) title to the Kingston and London Railway. The two Acts were authorised on 22 August 1881. It was necessary now for the LSWR to obtain powers to take a 50% share in the Kingston and London Railway; this
438-416: A day in advance. South Western Railway inherited a fleet of Classes 158 , 159 , 444 , 450 , 455 , 456 , 458 and 707 from South West Trains, and subsequently re-introduced Class 442 trains which had operated on Gatwick Express after earlier service with South West Trains. The current fleet for the Island Line, Class 484 , entered service on 1 November 2021. During March 2020, the Class 442 fleet
511-572: A large concentration of London commuters. Norbiton railway station was used as a location for the British sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin . The headquarters of the Fire Brigades Union is located close to the station, on Coombe Road. Kingsmeadow football stadium in Norbiton was bought by Chelsea FC in 2016 and has been used for the home matches of Chelsea F.C. Women since 2017. It
584-428: A lorry fell off a bridge over the railway line near Oxshott railway station, landing on the 3:05 pm South West Trains service from Guildford to London Waterloo. The lorry driver and one passenger suffered serious injuries; a further five passengers suffered minor injuries. South Western Railway (train operating company) South Western Railway ( SWR ; legal name First MTR South Western Trains Limited , )
657-478: A spur to a new LSWR terminal at Pelham Street, Kensington. The construction of the Kingston and London Railway would cost £650,000, to be shared equally between the LSWR and the K&;LR shareholders. The K&LR quickly found it impossible to generate the necessary share subscriptions. An extension of time was obtained from Parliament in 1884, and in October 1885 it was decided that it was impossible to continue. The LSWR
730-539: A widespread scheme of electrification from 1913, and on 20 November 1916 the route to Claygate was energised. This short extension on to the New Line was probably to give an alternative turn-back location if Surbiton was congested. It had been intended to continue immediately to Guildford, but difficulties due to the war frustrated this, and in fact shortages of rolling stock forced the suspension of electric train movements to Claygate from June 1919. The Southern Railway resumed
803-458: Is a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup (70%) and MTR Corporation (30%) that operates the South Western franchise . On 20 August 2017, SWR took over South Western franchise operations from the previous franchisee South West Trains . SWR operates commuter services from its Central London terminus at London Waterloo to south west London. SWR provides suburban services in
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#1732851770201876-468: The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) undertook 27 days of strikes. These were in protest to the potential introduction of DOO (driver only operation) on SWR's new fleet of Bombardier-built Class 701 multiple units, which would thereby nullify the role of the guard. In January 2020, SWR announced that they were in discussions with the government regarding the future of
949-526: The 16th century. Residents included Richard Taverner , who lived there 1547–75 and Sir Anthony Benn , 1605–18. In 1829, the Surrey MP Charles Pallmer sold the estate to Mary, Countess of Liverpool , widow of the late prime minister Lord Liverpool . It was finally demolished in the 1930s to make way for a complex of flats, also called Norbiton Hall. These flats were built between 1933 and 1935 and received local listing in 2018. Norbiton Place
1022-468: The 1881 Act dur to sensitivities over the line crossing Bookham Common; An LSWR Act of 30 August 1882 succeeded in reinstating the branch, this time with tunnelling to protect the common. While all this was going on, actual construction of the Hampton Court Junction to Guildford line, which now included the link from Leatherhead to Effingham Junction , had been proceeding. Col Yolland carried out
1095-647: The 90 trains ordered had been accepted from Alstom. The trains began to be used for passengers in January 2024. Outer suburban routes: Train types formerly operated by South Western Railway include: The following train depots and stabling sidings are used for the South Western Railway fleet: Bournemouth depot is southwest of Bournemouth station , occupying the approach to the former Bournemouth West station . Farnham Traincare Depot , in Weydon Lane,
1168-564: The BBC sitcom Some Girls . In 2020 plans were agreed to regenerate the Cambridge Road estate, including demolishing 865 existing homes and building 2,170 new ones. Homes on the renewed estate will obtain heating by a process that turns treated sewage into clean energy, the first such scheme in England. As Norbiton is only 25 minutes by train from Waterloo station , the suburban population includes
1241-580: The District Railway supposedly backed the GK&;LR, it had made no commitment or assistance of any kind. Both these schemes went to the 1881 session of Parliament. Two incompatible proposals spelt great difficulty for both proponents. The GKLR supporters were made to look amateurish in Parliament, when they repeatedly expressed themselves ignorant of likely business volumes. Finally on 30 May 1881 they agreed to
1314-470: The Epsom & Leatherhead Joint Line was doubled throughout, commissioned the same day. The criticism levelled at the line throughout was that it was to be built through a sparsely populated rural area. Now that it was open, it proved that there was insufficient business to pay for the line's operation. For many years the area served by the railway remained rural, and the hoped-for development in residential travel
1387-516: The GK&LR scheme: it would cost about £ 1 + 3 ⁄ 4 million, partly due to the incorporation of lengthy tunnelling east of Kingston, yet it would be built to serve a sparsely populated district. It required an impractical junction with the Metropolitan District Railway, needing passengers to continue to central London over the already congested Inner Circle line by trains stopping at each station. Most significantly, while
1460-573: The Guildford, Kingston and London Railway, proposed a line broadly similar to the present-day route, but joining to the District Railway at Putney Bridge. That scheme failed when the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) agreed to build the present route, including a branch from Effingham Junction to Leatherhead. It opened in 1885. The short section from Hampton Court Junction to Claygate was electrified in 1916, and from Claygate to Guildford in 1925. Guildford
1533-417: The Island Line was also replaced by the Class 484 during 2021. During April 2018, amid concerns of SWR's performance, the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling , announced an independent review into SWR and Network Rail . Between 2 December 2019 and 2 January 2020, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) undertook 27 days of strikes. Further industrial action by SWR's staff
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#17328517702011606-436: The LSWR main line and the Guildford branch on the one hand, and Leatherhead and other places on the east side. There were numerous schemes to fill the gap with a railway line, in many cases using Cobham as the focus. In most cases the promoters were unable to raise sufficient support among investors. In 1880 a more ambitious scheme still was put forward: it was called the Guildford, Kingston and London Railway (GK&LR). It
1679-459: The LSWR objected strongly to these proposals, and in defence it proposed its own line from Hampton Court Junction to Guildford. People in the Cobham area had long complained about the failure of the LSWR – seen as an unresponsive monopoly – to connect their town to the railway network. A public meeting was held there on 6 January 1881, to gauge support for the schemes. Negative views were expressed about
1752-483: The New Guildford line at Effingham Junction and runs in parallel with the Cobham trains to the terminus at Guildford. On 9 May 2011 Network Rail applied to the local planning authority to extend the platforms at Hinchley Wood , Claygate , Oxshott and Cobham to take 10-car trains as part of a 2012/13 Network Rail plan that included Effingham Junction, Horsley , Clandon and London Road (Guildford) . Currently
1825-644: The Portsmouth Direct Line had been dropped, and that South Western Railway has no current plans to use the 458/4s. On June 24, 2024, the first Class 458/4 entered public service, initially doing limited outer suburban routes such as London Waterloo to Weybridge via Addlestone. Classes 455 , 456 and 707 fleets will be replaced by 30 five-car and 60 ten-car Class 701 units built at Bombardier's Derby Litchurch Lane Works , financed by ROSCO Rock Rail for £1 billion , for use on Reading , Windsor and London suburban services. By June 2023 , 42 of
1898-417: The South Western Railway official website (see External links below) . As of December 2023, its routes off-peak Monday to Friday, with frequencies in trains per hour (tph), include: Improvements promised under the 2017 contract were: As of May 2019 , there is also an hourly Sunday service between Reading and Salisbury via Basingstoke (with trains running between morning and evening). In August 2021,
1971-558: The Waterloo – Cobham – Guildford route, where a publicity shot was taken of a unit carrying headcode H with a bar above, the original route code for the line. The line received the first post-World War 2EPB electric stock that became the standard for British Railways Southern Region for many years. In January 1952, 4EPB set number 5001 entered service on the line. For most of the life of the New Guildford line, only second (formerly known as third) or standard-class stock has been available. For
2044-587: The West of England Main Line which is always operated by Class 158 or Class 159 DMUs (because it is unelectrified) and the Alton Line which also sees the occasional use of Class 458 units. South Western Railway also operates many suburban "Metro" services in and around London. These all run between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction , where they split into two separate routes: via Putney and via Wimbledon. All services on
2117-432: The area bounded by Hook, Alton, Guildford, Reading and Dorking, in order to maximise available passenger space on the most crowded trains. SWR operates regular services on four mainline routes: In total, there are 14 mainline trains per hour departing London Waterloo in the off-peak; this number increases in the peak hours. The majority of mainline services are operated by Class 444 or Class 450 EMUs , except for
2190-484: The area, he moved away at the end of 1867. Norbiton's housing stock largely consists of large Victorian and Edwardian family houses, plus small localised brownfield redevelopments of 1960s, 1980s and modern flats. It contains more council and social housing than most other areas of Kingston – one of the largest such sites, the Cambridge Road estate, was used as a fictional council estate in TV drama The Bill , as well as
2263-631: The area. Norbiton was part of the Municipal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames from its creation in 1835 , and became part of the larger Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in 1965. Its name was originally Norberton(e) and it was named in a similar way to Surbiton on the opposite side of the Hogsmill River. The origin of the place-name is from the Old English words north , bere and tun (meaning northern grange or outlying farm). The area
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2336-464: The company announced the launch of "assisted boarding points" at all 189 stations on its network, allowing disabled or elderly passengers to ask for assistance onboard trains with as little as ten minutes' notice. The scheme will include clear signage at stations, with QR codes allowing customers to send details of the assistance they require and their planned journey to staff, replacing older systems wherein assisted journeys had to be booked six hours to
2409-418: The connivance of the Metropolitan District Railway, although that company denied direct involvement. The GK&LR was to have its own Surbiton station alongside the LSWR station, but also make a connection to the LSWR there. It hoped to have running powers back along the Metropolitan District Railway to South Kensington , High Street Kensington , and Addison Road (later renamed Kensington Olympia ). The plan
2482-643: The contract was extended to May 2025. During July 2015, the Department for Transport (DfT) abandoned efforts to negotiate an extension with the incumbent operator of the South Western franchise, South West Trains , (owned by British transport conglomerate Stagecoach ) and announced that the South Western franchise would be retendered for in the coming years. In February 2016, the DfT announced that two companies, FirstGroup and Stagecoach, had been shortlisted to bid for
2555-451: The contract was further extended until May 2025. SWR is one of several train operators impacted by the 2022–2024 United Kingdom railway strikes , which are the first national rail strikes in the UK for three decades. Its workers are amongst those who are participating in industrial action due to a dispute over pay and working conditions. SWR is capable of operating a minimal timetable on any of
2628-500: The counties of Surrey , Hampshire , Berkshire and Dorset , as well as regional services in Devon , Somerset and Wiltshire . Its subsidiary Island Line operates services on the Isle of Wight . Rolling stock changes have included a comprehensive refurbishment of existing units and the acquisition of new-build Class 701 units from Bombardier to replace SWR's Class 455 , and Class 707 multiple units. The Class 483 fleet operated on
2701-559: The deal had included an option for the DfT to extend it for a further 48 weeks. The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) held an inquiry into the awarding; during July 2017, it sought undertakings from SWR that it would not abuse its monopoly on services to the West of England , Dorset and Somerset , as FirstGroup also operated the Greater Western franchise in those regions. FirstGroup and MTR responded with an offer to implement
2774-419: The early 1960s train stock was formed of 3 and latterly 4 car 3SUB and 4SUB units. In the early 1940s a new 4SUB was introduced. For a while in the late 1950s and 1960s the line was the only route from Waterloo that had 4SUB units substituted by EPB units. For many years new train stock was tested for long periods on this route. New mainline 4LAV units were tried out in public service in the spring of 1932 on
2847-518: The electrification work, and on 12 July 1925 full electric services were working through to Guildford, and in addition on the Epsom – Leatherhead - Effingham Junction section. The section of the New Guildford line from London Waterloo to Claygate was the final suburban electrification carried out by the London and South Western Railway, with the first services using the 660 V DC third-rail system on 20 November 1916. The journey from Claygate to Guildford
2920-415: The estate, including adding a dairy styled like an Indian temple and a lodge in the form of a doric temple. Living above his means, Pallmer was declared bankrupt in 1831. Much of the main house was pulled down after 1830, with St Peter's Church built on part of the grounds. Kingston Lodge , opposite Norbiton Hall, was leased by Novelist George Meredith in 1865. Disliking the increasing development of
2993-455: The evening to Guildford on weekdays. This extra train runs non-stop between London Waterloo and Surbiton in both directions. On Sundays there is just one train per hour in each direction. South Western Railway also operates another service from Waterloo to Guildford which runs via the Mole Valley line between Raynes Park and Leatherhead then follows the branch through Bookham and joins
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3066-399: The first timetable; of these, five were via Leatherhead. The situation at Leatherhead was complicated. The LSWR station was described by them as temporary. The LBSCR went about extending from the Epsom and Leatherhead Joint Line to Dorking, and provided a new Leatherhead station, but declined (in its Act of 1863) to incorporate the short length of line between its own old and new stations into
3139-567: The franchise following a £137 million loss, with termination of the contract being a possibility. By mid-2020, SWR had considerably curtailed its services in response to the significant decline of passenger travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic . From 15 June 2020, both passengers and staff on public transport in England, including SWR services, were required to wear face coverings while travelling, and that anyone failing to do so would be liable to be refused travel or fined. In December 2020, it
3212-515: The inspection for the Board of Trade and announced that he had never seen better work. The new routes, nearly 21 miles (34 km) in extent, were opened to traffic on 2 February 1885. Stations were at London Road, Clandon, Horsley, Cobham, and Oxshott, and at Bookham on the Leatherhead branch. Effingham Junction station was provided on 2 July 1888. There were eleven passenger trains each way on weekdays in
3285-471: The introduction of a reduced timetable on 17 January 2022. Shortly after the line to Guildford was electrified, there were three minor accidents. In each case the drivers lost control of their trains due to unfamiliarity with the new style Westinghouse brake equipment. These incidents happened on 16, 23 and 31 July. The report of the Ministry of Transport Inspector notes that the three trains were all coming into
3358-566: The joint line. At the beginning of 1864 the two companies agreed that the LSWR could build a short line from the termination of the joint line to the end of its new branch line from Effingham, and the LBSCR would incorporate land acquisition on the north side of its new station, for the LSWR to build its station there. The LSWR part of this was approved by Act of 25 July 1864, and the short LSWR Leatherhead section opened on 4 March 1867, together with both new Leatherhead stations. The old station closed, and
3431-423: The lack of doors for quick rush-hour loading. Route codes for the line are 16 for trains via Epsom and 42 via Cobham. At present on Monday to Saturday there are two trains per hour to Guildford. These trains stop at Vauxhall , Clapham Junction , Earlsfield , and Wimbledon then all stations between Surbiton and Guildford. There is one additional train during the morning peak period to London and conversely in
3504-497: The new terminal bay platform that had recently been installed for the electric services. On 18 September 1953, there was another incident of the same type as in 1925, when a train overran the buffers at Guildford and collided with the station offices, killing the assistant station master. Once again the driver was not familiar with the new type of brakes that had been introduced with the new train stock – this time 1951 electro pneumatic brake electric multiple units. On 5 November 2010,
3577-512: The next South Western franchise. During June 2016, MTR Corporation partnered with FirstGroup in their bid, taking a 30% shareholding in the joint venture. During July 2016, the DfT issued the Invitation to Tender. During March 2017, the DfT announced that the South Western franchise had been awarded to First/MTR. At the time, it was stated that its franchise period was to commence from 20 August 2017 and run through to 18 August 2024, although
3650-516: The off-peak; this number increases in peak hours. The main route via Wimbledon uses the slow tracks of the quadruple-track South West Main Line . Suburban trains run along the mainline between London and Woking. Branch lines on this route include: A total of 16 trains per hour run between London Waterloo and Wimbledon in the off-peak; this number increases in peak hours. Routes that do not start or terminate at London Waterloo include: Details of each route, including maps and timetables, are on
3723-490: The performance of South Western Railway and Network Rail; the review was welcomed by Winchester's MP, Steve Brine . During July 2018, reports emerged that FirstGroup/MTR were in the process of renegotiating the SWR contract, allegedly due to the operator's inability to deliver on many of its promised improvements, as well as its declining performance and industrial action by its own staff. Between 2 December 2019 and 2 January 2020,
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#17328517702013796-500: The planned dates for the strikes due to the number of staff involved. South Western Railway is the main operator for western Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight, and also serves Greater London, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon. Most SWR services run on electrified lines using the 750 V DC third-rail system. There is a diesel fleet for services on the West of England line to Salisbury and Exeter, using
3869-453: The principal fast services from London to those cities, which are operated from London Paddington by Great Western Railway . The majority of its passengers are on suburban commuter lines in inner and south-west London, Surrey, east Berkshire, and north-east Hampshire. As with most rail companies, non-folding bicycles are banned from peak-time trains to and from London. However, these restrictions apply only to cyclists boarding or alighting in
3942-419: The services to Guildford and London Waterloo are using Class 455 sets built in the early to mid-1980s, which have now all undergone an extensive refurbishment program which was completed in 2008. Refurbished two-car sets of Class 456 formerly in service with Southern (Railway) , were used from 2017 to extend peak hour services and some off peak services to ten-car operation. These were then withdrawn following
4015-626: The suburban part of the network are operated by Class 450 , Class 455 , Class 458 and Class 701 electric multiple units. The main route via Putney is known as the Waterloo to Reading Line . It runs between London and Reading and passes through towns such as Staines-upon-Thames , Ascot and Bracknell . It operates as a fast service as far as Staines , with Reading trains only calling at Clapham Junction , Richmond , Twickenham and Feltham . Branch lines on this route include: A total of 12 trains per hour run between London Waterloo and Putney in
4088-422: The unelectrified track beyond Worting Junction just west of Basingstoke, and for Salisbury to Southampton via Romsey services which also serve Eastleigh. From London Waterloo , SWR's London terminus, long-distance trains run to southern England, including the major coastal population centres of Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. There are also trains to Reading and Exeter, but these are not
4161-529: The way from Basingstoke was completed in 1905. In 1908 a burrowing junction was made at Hampton Court Junction, to enable the Up Cobham line to join the up main line there without conflicting with other movements. After 1923 a connection was made at Leatherhead enabling trains from Effingham Junction to run into the LBSCR station, and on 9 July 1927 the LSWR Leatherhead station was closed. The LSWR undertook
4234-402: Was abruptly withdrawn from the New Guildford line and second-class only service reinstated. During the period of first-class service, a number of trains ran as stopping services to and from Portsmouth. Very occasionally, during times of disrupted working, 4COR sets with 2HAL and 2BIL units that had been cascaded from the main line would be seen – the former causing substantial delays owing to
4307-526: Was added at the north-east end of the station to cater for the electric trains as the Portsmouth line wouldn't be electrified until 1937. Until then down steam trains had used what is now Platform 2. Currently electric train stock is stabled and serviced at Wimbledon and, until 1993, at Effingham Junction . The latter is now used by Colas Rail as a servicing centre for multiple-purpose track maintenance vehicles (MPV) for Network Rail . From electrification to
4380-520: Was announced that terms for the abolition of the franchise system for SWR had been agreed, and that the company would be given a management contract to run until 1 April 2023 when the ERMA (Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement) for the franchise ends in March 2021. During October 2021, the contract was updated with a finish date of 28 May 2023, with an option to extend further if required by the DfT. In February 2023,
4453-492: Was authorised by the South-Western & District (Kingston & London Railway) Act of 1882. There was a joint committee of LSWR and Metropolitan District Railway representatives. The Corporation of Kingston was displeased to be excluded from the process, and for the LSWR (for which it held negative feelings) to be in charge. The 1882 Act included powers for junctions from the new line Surbiton, Norbiton and Putney, and to make
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#17328517702014526-436: Was bought by Sir John Philipps , who died there in 1764. One of the family's servants was Cesar Picton , originally an African slave, he was brought to England aged six in 1761. He lived at Norbiton Place for nearly thirty years, before becoming a successful coal-merchant in Kingston. In the early 1800s Norbiton Place became the main residence of Charles Pallmer , owner of neighbouring Norbiton Hall. Pallmer greatly developed
4599-942: Was built in 1897, is inside the triangular junction of the Shepperton Branch Line with the Kingston Loop Line, just yards from Strawberry Hill railway station . Wimbledon Traincare Depot is located between Wimbledon and Earlsfield stations, on the main line to Waterloo, next to the Wimbledon railway viaduct. Norbiton Norbiton is an area within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames , London. It lies approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Kingston upon Thames town centre, and 11 miles (17.7 km) from Charing Cross . Its main landmarks include Kingston Hospital , Kingsmeadow football stadium, Kingston Cemetery and St Peter's Anglican parish church which serves
4672-464: Was first served by an LSWR branch line from Woking , which opened 1845. The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway penetrated from the east as far as Epsom in 1847, and the LSWR reached the town with its own line in 1859. In that year the Epsom and Leatherhead Railway opened: independent at first, it became jointly owned and operated by the LSWR and the LBSCR together. There remained a large area between
4745-534: Was opened by the Southern Railway at the time of the electrification of the Portsmouth and Alton lines in 1937. Feltham depot was completed in 2021; it is intended to provide stabling for the Class 701 units. Fratton Traincare Depot is located on central Portsea Island, alongside Fratton station. Northam Traincare Facility was built by Siemens in 2002 as the home depot for the Desiro fleet as part of
4818-401: Was originally a part of the parish of All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames . In 1840 a separate Norbiton parish was created, with St Peter's Church built between 1840 and 1842 to a design of Gilbert Scott and William Moffatt . Until the mid-nineteenth century much of Norbiton was made up of country estates , all since sold as housing land. These included: Norbiton Hall , a manor from
4891-455: Was presenting a general powers Act in 1886, and the residual Putney Bridge to East Putney section of the K&LR was included. This was simply a crossing of the River Thames, and it was incorporated into the Wimbledon and West Metropolitan Junction scheme, authorised in that Act. The remainder of the K&LR was abandoned by virtue of the same Act. The Leatherhead branch had been removed from
4964-600: Was then a steam hauled service. The journey from Waterloo to Claygate took 29 minutes on commencement of the electric service which was supplemented by steam hauled services during the mornings and evenings. The First World War halted the LSWR's electrification program, and the Claygate to Guildford electrification was completed under the auspices of the Southern Railway, with the first electric train arriving at Guildford station on 12 July 1925. A new bay platform, now Platform 1,
5037-529: Was to be a 25-mile (40 km) line reaching Guildford from Fulham , nowadays Putney Bridge station , on the District Line , and then a terminus of the Metropolitan District Railway . It would run via Kingston and Surbiton, with branches in the Cobham area to Ashtead and to Bookham . The branches brought the total proposed extent to 31 miles (50 km). The scheme must obviously have had
5110-537: Was to extend existing MDR passenger train services to Guildford. At Guildford it would have an independent station, but the line would continue into the LSWR station, and have running powers to Peasmarsh Junction, where it could connect to the LBSCR to Horsham . Moreover it would have a spur towards Ash , on the LSWR Aldershot line , giving connection to the South Eastern Railway line to Reading . Obviously
5183-423: Was undertaken in 2022. In response to the decrease in passenger travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic , SWR had considerably curtailed its services by mid-2020. In January 2020, SWR announced that they were in discussions with the government regarding the future of the franchise. In December 2020, it was announced that SWR's franchise would be abolished and replaced by a shorter management contract. In February 2023,
5256-671: Was very slow to take place. Although the pace accelerated in the twentieth century, the line remained loss-making; in 1913 LSWR statistical returns showed the line losing £5 per mile per week. By 1909 there were twelve passenger trains each way on the line, including a small number from and to points south of Guildford running semi-fast through the new line, giving relief to the congestion at Woking. Some stopping trains did not run east of Surbiton. There were an additional nine trains running via Leatherhead to Waterloo. Quadruple track had already been provided between Hampton Court Junction and Waterloo in 1885. The provision of four (or more) tracks all
5329-439: Was withdrawn. One year later, SWR decided that they would not be returned to service and their re-introduction has been cancelled. In March 2021, SWR announced it would be keeping 28 Class 458 units and will refurbish and reconfigure them to four carriages for planned deployment on the Portsmouth Direct Line instead of the Class 442. In early 2024 it was announced that the plan to use the refurbished and reconfigured Class 458s on
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